Going to work on one of the last southbound Northern Line trains. Job starts at 00:30. A throng of young revelers enters at Hampstead. Dozens of them on a group outing. They spill and partially fill two carriages. I am surrounded. They are singing simple pop songs that everyone agrees to remember the melody to after the initiator takes an informal poll (bing! bang! walla walla bing bang!). Still feeling a bit lifted and not sure if this is the infectiously energetic entourage I want to engage myself in as I silently meditate, mentally prepare myself for physical labour and slide my phone (GBA emulator engaged) into my work pants pocket. You know what? I was young once. By a lot of measures I still am. Let them have their fun, and I will smile and nod along to the off key chorus and I won't even shy away from drunken good time eye contact. Life is too short to be a grumpy old man on the tube before 30.
The next station is Belsize Park. "There is no smoking allowed on the London Underground" is being repeated constantly. A faint waft of nicotine smoke drifts in from the boisterous carriage next door. Slowing now. Platform drifts rapidly into the periphery as limbs flail towards the ceiling next door. The doors between carriages ("emergency use only") spring open. "Somebody got nicked, yo!"
Everybody screaming. Sounds of bodies slamming against each other in a frantic mosh as people push to the tube doors waiting for them to open. Screaming. We're in the last two cars, towards the end of the track. No way to go except into the stabbing area or up the stairs past the too-slow lifts to the exit. Drunken brawl? Chinese-style knifing terror attack? Gang confrontation? Part of me is desperate to find out, to watch the deadly drama with my own eyes. The majority of me is swept up in the crowd. Surrounded by dozens of strangers, all screaming and running for the exit. Who could resist?
100+ steps, racing past other scared passengers. Waiting outside the station. Checking bus schedule. Is there a convenient bus to jump on or should I wait this out? Police, one van and two cars peel into the station. Confront the crowd immediately. People screaming on their phones, "we need an ambulance!" "My friend's lost tons of blood!" "Everybody needs to get out of here NOW!" Police sprinting after shady characters who realized this too late. A throng of drunk and potentially underage, potentially drug possessing potential stabbing suspects. At least four cops sprint after the group that attempts to escape the moment they pull up. Two were arrested so they got somebody.
Back in the station. Platform closed. Have to catch a northbound, switch at the next station, get back on track. Going past Belsize Park once again, this time the train won't stop. One victim sprawled on the bench, young dude, long hair, shirtless, oxygen mask on, paramedics and police surrounding, gently splattered in blood. No fatalities. Fifteen minutes late for work.
